Katie Putnam: Blog Post #2

Exploring Italy and First Weekend Trip

Ciao from Italy!

It has been an exciting three weeks in Italy, full of new experiences! Despite feeling overly prepared for what to expect during this study abroad, the culture shock hit me hard in the first week. Rome is a beautiful city with so much history, but the language barriers and different cultural expectations caused initial discomfort. Now, I can confidently say these feelings are temporary. I am meeting new people, finding a routine, and have even been recognized as a “regular” at my favorite local cafe. I have enjoyed exploring with friends but have surprised myself with how much I enjoy solo outings. It is refreshing to go at my own pace, sit in silence, and notice the trivial details that make the city so complex, like stray cats, graffiti, and locals on their afternoon stroll. The food has been excellent, as expected, and I am excited to branch away from Trastevere (where I am living) and find some new, authentic local Italian food. I have been lucky that everyone has been very friendly and understanding. Locals offer me a smile, baristas kindly correct me on my pronunciation and restaurant staff are elated when asked to explain the dishes that make their place unique. Rome has so much to offer, and I can’t wait to further immerse myself in its culture and history! 

For my first weekend trip of study abroad, I traveled to Siena, Italy. This trip taught me about the ease and affordability of public transport, a privilege not common in the suburbs of America. Tuscany had a beautiful landscape that was completely different from Rome. Despite the obvious landscape differences like rolling hills, vineyards, and farmland, even the buildings had distinct character and darker brick. This trip taught me many lessons that I unfortunately had to learn the hard way. I learned the importance of properly researching the destination area, whether taxis are standard, and the distance from our housing to the city center and excursions. During my weekend, I went horseback riding and wine tasting, which were very memorable and allowed me to hear stories and travel tips from Tuscan locals. Overall, this was a great first trip of the semester and a good way to explore other provinces in Italy.